Champions League semi-final: Juventus 3 - Real Madrid -1 (Juventus win 4-2 on aggregate)The resurgence of Italian football is complete. The European Cup final will for the first time be an all-Italian affair. When Juventus and Milan meet at Old Trafford in two weeks they will be delighted to show the Premiership that they are once again the supreme forces.
Last night's victory was unexpectedly comprehensive as Real Madrid, nine times the champions, were eclipsed. Juventus controlled the match and a late goal from Zinedine Zidane was of no use to Real.
They did have a brief moment of encouragement when Ronaldo shook off the effects of a calf injury and forced Paolo Montero to bring him down after 65 minutes.
The chance was there for Luis Figo to bring the aggregate score level, but his penalty was poor and Gianluigi Buffon saved it easily.
The Italian team added to their 2-0 lead when Pavel Nedved ran on to Gianluca Zambrotta's pass in the 73rd minute to finish confidently. He was one of the major factors in this success and it will be a great distress to him and his club that he later picked up a booking that will rule him out of the final.
This had always been a most unwelcome match for the visitors. Real, so famously sleek of movement, are known to be uncomfortable at the very prospect of Italian opposition. It is hard to explain the reason for those misgivings, particularly since Manchester United could come to this ground and win 3-0, but the Spanish unease is unmistakable.
Their circumstances were similar to the trip to Old Trafford when Raul was injured and Ronaldo operated alone in attack. Here it was the Brazilian who was missing at the beginning.
The only difference lay in the effect on Real. Against United they scored plentifully with a hat-trick by Ronaldo in a 4-3 defeat which, after their 3-1 home win, eased them into this semi-final. Last night there was consternation instead of confidence. Real were more likely to get into trouble than create it.
Guti was peevish as others were simply subdued.
The contrast to the journey to the northwest of England lay in the stringency that awaited Real in Turin. Just as Internazionale and Milan had shown on Tuesday, the Italian art of organisation is coming to the fore once again on the European scene.
So restricted was the service that you could not quite tell whether Raul had come back prematurely after having his appendix removed or was out of form. He was totally marginalised.
It is a misrepresentation, all the same, to present Juventus as a rough and stuffy bunch, although they can fill that role when required.
With the confidence of security at the back, they attacked Real with vigour. The restless energy of Nedved, Italy's player of the year, was directed towards the support of two forwards and Real often looked as if they would buckle. The 2-0 deficit at half-time was bad enough, but the situation might have been utterly irretrievable even then.
Nedved's initial incursions were mostly on the right. Alessandro Del Piero curled one of the cut-backs high while the game was still settling down. After 12 minutes, the Czech international crossed deep and the same forward headed down towards the near post, where David Trezeguet surprised the defence by forcing the ball home.
Just before the interval Del Piero manoeuvred at the edge of the area to open a little space between Michel Salgado and Fernando Hierro before driving in at the near post. Real had been unable even to inconvenience the scorer with their marking.
Although despair might have consumed Real, they spent the closing moments coming very close to snatching the goal that would have taken them past Juventus. It is certain that we have not heard the last of them.
JUVENTUS: Buffon, Thuram, Tudor, Montero, Birindelli (Pessotto 60), Zambrotta, Tacchinardi, Davids (Conte 89), Nedved, Trezeguet (Camoranesi 77), Del Piero. Subs Not Used: Chimenti, Fresi, Di Vaio, Zalayeta. Booked: Montero, Tacchinardi, Nedved. Goals: Trezeguet 12, Del Piero 42, Nedved 73.
REAL MADRID: Casillas, Salgado, Carlos, Hierro, Helguera, Zidane, Figo, Flavio (Ronaldo 52), Raul, Guti, Cambiasso (McManaman 77). Subs Not Used: Cesar, Pavon, Solari, Morientes, Portillo. Booked: Flavio, Salgado, Hierro, Figo. Goals: Zidane 89.
Referee: Urs Meier (Switzerland).
